Pokémon Live!
Pokémon Live! is a musical stage show that is based on the basic plot of the anime, though it is not in the same continuity, and combined with music, dancing, and neat and amazing special effects. The show toured the United States on September 22, 2000 to January 19, 2001. About it Prologue: A mysterious gym leader appears on a screen, inviting trainers to battle him for the one-on-a-kind diamond badge. He gives instructions for downloading a map to his secret gym, so trainers can compete for this rare and special badge. Act 1: It's a typical day in Pallet Town, and Ash Ketchum is awakened by his mom, Delia, and Professor Oak who invite him to attend a lecture on sleeping pokémon behaviors, which is about Snorlax sleeping disorders, given by the world-renowned pokémon expert Professor Xalrons. He declines, telling the professor, "Don't keep my mom out too late!" After they leave, Ash's friends Misty and Brock enter his room, come in on Ash as he starts dancing to the theme song. Quickly getting himself dressed, Ash remarks that he intends to win the diamond badge, and is ready for their next adventure. Ash has already downloaded the special map and, wanting to prove his mastery of pokémon, is ready to compete for the diamond badge. Misty is upset, however, because Ash had promised to take her to the movies for her birthday, which was three weeks ago! Ash promises he'll make it up to her somehow, insisting that his friends are important, but so are pokémon. (You & Me & Pokémon) After the song, the three heroes set off for the mysterious gym. Right after Ash and his friends set off on their journey, the scene suddenly switches over to the Team Rocket trio, reciting their motto to the audience. After Jessie and James engage in taunting the audience with ad-libbed insults based on where they're performing, Meowth berates them and informs them that Giovanni wants to see them right now. Meanwhile, several trainers approach the mysterious gym leader, each bringing their prized pokémon, hoping to win the one-of-a-kind prize: the rare diamond badge. The gym leader's super-robot pokémon, the MechaMew2, learns and copies Alakazam's psychic and Venusaur's poison attacks. When a trainer tries selfdestruct with his Electrode, MechaMew2 does nothing, since the challenging pokémon has already fainted. After the trainers leave in defeat, the gym leader reveals his true identity. He is really Giovanni, the diabolical leader of Team Rocket, with a new scheme for world domination. He has built a mechanical pokémon, MechaMew2, based on the powerful Mewtwo he once owned. This mechanical marvel has only one attack, Learn, which allows it to memorize, copy, and return the attacks of any pokémon it battles. Giovanni has advertised the diamond badge competition everywhere, luring trainers to battle him, in order that his MechaMew2 will learn every possible pokémon attack. The mechanical pokémon has learned almost all the possible attacks, with the exception of two: thundershock and thunderbolt, two attacks that Ash's Pikachu uses! The Team Rocket trio report to Giovanni as he is singing about his current world-domination scheme. Giovanni then orders Jessie, James, and Meowth to bring him this Pikachu, so his MechaMew2's collection of attacks will be complete. (It Will All Be Mine) Jessie, James, and Meowth rush to the forest and dig one of their trademark pit traps to catch the approaching twerps and capture Pikachu. After digging the pit, they hide in the bushes as Ash, Misty, Brock, and Pikachu walk right over the trap without falling in. After they pass, Team Rocket investigates the hole and realizes that they left the supports still in. When Jessie and James pull out the supports, they both fall into their own trap. A very frustrated Meowth runs off to get a rope to pull them out. Meanwhile, Misty still feels that Ash is ignoring her, Ash is trying to find his way to the gym and gushing about how good an achievement the diamond badge must be, and Brock is trying to pick up all the female trainers in the forest, and he goes off to flirt with them, only to be rejected by each one. Misty tries to tell Ash that there is more to life than battling for gym badges, and remarks to him that since the diamond badge is one-of-a-kind, it will likely be much harder to obtain than the ones he got from her sisters or Brock. Ash retorts that winning badges are a special symbol, "like when your teacher gives you a gold star, or when your parents give you your own keys to the car, or a guy gives a girl her own ring to wear." Brock comes back from being rejected by the girls he's just flirting with, when Ash finally asks Brock for the map, Brock sheepishly tells him that he threw it in the river when he asked one of the girls for directions. Misty gets angry with both of the boys and starts arguing with them, but Ash stops the fight and insists that they need to stick together, since they're all buddies (My Best Friends). In the mean time, Professor Oak and Ash's mom are approaching an old, run-down building where the Snorlax pokémon lecture is supposed to be held. As they're entering, Delia confesses that she feels that she's losing touch with her son, and that Ash is growing up too quickly. The professor reassures her, saying that she shouldn't worry so much and things never stay the same for long. (Everything Changes) Suddenly, Team Rocket members rush out of the shadows and surround them. There is no pokémon lecture here; it was just a trap by Giovanni to lure Professor Oak into his clutches so he couldn't interfere with his latest scheme. Giovanni recognizes Delia as an old friend of his, saying how long it's been since he saw her last. Delia insists that anything between them was in the past, and Giovanni remarks that she has changed as well (Everything Changes - reprise 1). Back in the forest, the three friends are totally lost and alone, until they meet a deaf trainer. Brock uses sign language to communicate, and the trainer agrees to let them share his map on one condition: he and "the guy with the weird hair and funny smile" must have a battle first. Ash agrees, and Pikachu is ready to battle. The trainer sends out Jigglypuff, who instantly starts singing and puts everyone to sleep, and it starts drawing on their faces as the trainer leaves them his map. That night, Misty wakes up and notices how cute the sleeping Ash looks with Jigglypuff's scribbles all over his face, and cleans Jigglypuff's drawings off Ash's face. She is singing about her secret feelings for him, and wants to tell him that she feels deeply for him, but is afraid of rejection (Misty's Song). After she finishes singing, Ash wakes up, wondering aloud who was singing such a beautiful song, but Misty says nothing and answers by saying he probably just heard a side effect of Jigglypuff's song. With the map in possession again, the trio continues their journey. Team Rocket, still deep in their pit, are soundly sleeping due to Jigglypuff's song when Meowth arrives with a rope to pull them out. Meowth is annoyed by his companions' incompetence, and is still complaining about them when Jessie and James wake up and climb out of the pit. They are annoyed with him for a while, but sadly realize that Meowth is correct: they ARE total failures. Meowth then tries to cheer them up; they may be failures, but they're PERFECT failures! (The Best At Being The Worst) Feeling much better about themselves, Team Rocket sets out to find Pikachu once again, with Meowth wondering if he should have been a shrink and taken up psychiatry. Ash and friends have now arrived at the seashore, and Brock asks him which pokémon he'll use to battle the mysterious gym leader. His answer is obvious: "Pikachu, I choose you!" (Pikachu) During the dance sequence, Team Rocket appears in their Magikarp sub and they quickly capture Ash's Pikachu in a net. By the time Ash realizes that his Pikachu isn't there, Team Rocket is long gone. Act 2: Dexter, the brain inside the pokédex, explains that his role is vital to Ash's success: one bit of wrong information might cause the trainer to lose a match. As a result, he has enlisted some assistants, the "dextettes", to help him remember all the necessary information about the characteristics of pokémon: their different types, abilities, and strengths (What Kind of Pokémon Are You?). Back in the forest, Ash is desperate to find Pikachu. He is sure that his favorite pokémon has been kidnapped by Team Rocket, and suggests that he and his friends split up to find Pikachu. Misty says that maybe Pikachu wasn't kidnapped at all, but left Ash of his own will. After all, Ash does seem to be in a habit of ignoring his friends. With that, she runs after Brock, leaving Ash to ponder her words. Maybe Pikachu really DID run away. Maybe Pikachu doesn't want to be Ash's pokemon anymore. Although he never thought the day would come, Ash may have to live without Pikachu (The Time Has Come). At Giovanni's headquarters, he is gloating over his imminent success to Professor Oak and Ash's mom, whom he has locked in a giant cage located in the battle arena. (You & Me & Pokémon - Reprise) After a failed attempt to break free, the professor asks Delia why Giovanni recognized her. When he leaves, Delia tells Professor Oak about her less- than-perfect life in the past and her acquaintance with Giovanni. When she was a teenager, she used to hang out with a crowd of bad kids. One of her friends back then was starting up a gang that later became Team Rocket. She straightened her life out once she met Ash's father, and became the upstanding woman she is now. Professor Oak asks if she'd ever told Ash the truth about her past, but Delia fears that he wouldn't understand, and telling him would only drive him away. Jessie and James soon arrive in their boss's arena, bringing the captured Pikachu with them. They are extremely proud of themselves, having finally captured Pikachu after so many failed attempts. (Double Trouble) Hoping to finally complete his plan for world domination, Giovanni tells them to "challenge" his MechaMew2, using Pikachu. When Jessie and James order Pikachu to thundershock, it gives a mighty shock to them! The electricity causes the cage to break open, and Oak and Delia escape in the confusion. Giovanni is unaware of their escape, only thinking of his latest scheme, and realizes that Pikachu's trainer, Ash, is necessary to make the electric mouse battle. Jessie, James, and Meowth rush off to do their boss's bidding, singing, "We're gonna capture Ash-y too!" (Double Trouble - Reprise) Meanwhile, Misty and Brock are searching fruitlessly for Pikachu, and Brock asks Misty if she really believes that Ash's pokémon ran away. After all, Ash may ignore his friends sometimes, but he always treats his pokémon well. Misty sighs, saying that she doesn't believe Pikachu ran away, but she wanted Ash to realize that he's alienating his friends. She then asks why some guys never notice girls, while secretly soliloquizing about her pining for Ash. Brock says that he personally notices girls a little too well. Unfortunately, he can never decide which girl is right for him, since so many seem right. Of all the girls he's met, however, there are two that he's absolutely crazy about: Nurse Joy and Officer Jenny (Two Perfect Girls). Delia and Professor Oak, rushing through the forest to escape, are continuing their discussion about her past. She is afraid to tell Ash, even though she wants him to know the truth about what happened years ago. In a nearby part of the forest, Misty yearns to tell Ash her feelings for him, but she is also afraid. Not far away, Ash realizes that, although his closest friend Pikachu may be gone forever, he has to get on with his life. All three are struggling with themselves, wondering what to do next. (I've Got A Secret) Soon, all three groups come upon each other in the forest. Oak tells Ash that Giovanni is the mysterious gym leader, and he has Pikachu in his hideout. Ash is furious, determined to get his pokémon back and win the diamond badge. Delia quickly tells Ash the truth about her past, even though she's afraid that he'll take the news badly. Instead, Ash understands, and is more determined than ever to defeat Giovanni. Suddenly, Jessie and James appear, ordering Ash to come with them. They are utterly shocked when he agrees, and follows them calmly without a fight. As they leave, Ash's mom is surprised that her son understood her situation, and doesn't think less of her because she had a bad past. She realizes that Ash growing up might not be such a bad thing, that maybe change can be good (Everything Changes - reprise 2). Jessie and James gleefully enter the boss's arena on scooters, announcing that they not only captured Pikachu, but they've also got Ash! After a few moments of this, Giovanni grows a bit annoyed and orders them to leave. They go "blasting off again" out of the arena, and somehow crash their scooters. Meowth shakes his head and follows them out. Joyfully reunited with Pikachu, Ash prepares to battle Giovanni for the diamond badge, while the Team Rocket leader sneers that he doesn't stand a chance. (You Just Can't Win) Giovanni mockingly gives Ash the diamond badge before the battle, saying he'll retrieve it after Ash loses. Determined to win, Ash orders Pikachu to thundershock, then thunderbolt the mechanical pokémon. MechaMew2 doesn't appear to have felt the effects of either attack, and Ash is speechless as Giovanni proclaims utter victory, since his pokémon has now learned every single attack. The boss orders MechaMew2 to attack Ash with a hyper beam, but when it does, a force-field appears around Ash and Pikachu, protecting them, as an offscreen voice proclaims that the boy will not be harmed. The bearer of the voice then steps in, and suddenly the REAL Mewtwo enters. Ash doesn't remember him, but Giovanni does, and brags about the superiority of his mechanical replica. Mewtwo is unimpressed and accepts Giovanni's offer to battle MechaMew2. Ash begs Mewtwo not to do so, fearing MechaMew2 will just copy the psychic attacks, but Mewtwo tells Ash that the true power is within him. Mewtwo then attacks the MechaMew2 with visions of a strange new attack that appears to be a collection of Ash's happy memories as rapidly-displayed clips on the screens. MechaMew2 "learns" this attack but nothing happens. Giovanni is furious that his pokémon isn't reacting when MechaMew2 begins to speak. The attack that it learned from Mewtwo was "love", "friendship", and "caring". Having learned these virtues, MechaMew2 cannot allow Giovanni to carry out his evil plans. Grabbing Giovanni around the neck, MechaMew2 prepares to use a final attack on Giovanni and the whole building: selfdestruct. Giovanni tries to bargain with his creation, and attempts a partnership with MechaMew2 as a compromise. But the MechaMew2 explodes, which shoots sparkly bits of confetti into the audience. Giovanni does NOT get killed when MechaMew2 explodes, but has smudges all over his face, because he was in an explosion and survived! Ash asks Mewtwo how the mechanical pokémon was defeated, and Mewtwo says that it took Ash's memories and love to defeat the creature. Mewtwo vanishes as Ash's friends appear, asking what happened in the battle. Reaching into his pocket, Ash pulls out the diamond badge, saying that he won after all. Ash then presents the diamond badge to Misty, offering it to her as a "late birthday present". Giovanni has been defeated, Ash and his friends are reunited, and everyone is happy in the pokémon world (Finale). Trivia The musical is most notorious for featuring far more heavy romantic overtones than the series on which it is based. In particular, Misty's feelings for Ash are outright stated and a large source of angst for her character. However, Ash/Misty is NOT canon, it's purely a 4Kids invention that the original obviously had no intentions over. During the events of the story, Delia reveals to Professor Oak that she once dated Giovanni when they were teenagers, though she left his gang after meeting Ash's father. This backstory outright contradicts the Japanese-only audio dramas on the origins of Team Rocket. Seventeen huge full body animatronic standee pokémon puppets were created for the show, including Goldeen and Mew, while the roles of Meowth, Pikachu, Jigglypuff, and Mewtwo were pre-recorded with the actual VA voices. Category:Pokemon Category:Stage shows